The Fire That Thawed the Ice
by OriginalMyhard
Summary: Ginny Weasley has a secret; she's desperately in love with her best friend...Draco Malfoy. Can they fight through their house differences and save each other when it matters most?
1. How It All Began

_Disclaimer: Everything belongs to JK Rowling, although I don't think she thought much about this pairing…_

_A/N Okay, I did this cuz I had a hankerin' for a little Draco action. I love Ginny/Draco for reasons I can't explain, just something about them (and Draco and Ron and of course DRARRY!) so I decided to write this after a dream I had. And even though I can't technically make up my own characters, I had to pick one already made. XD This takes place in the 6__th__ book, the Half Blood Prince, when Malfoy starts getting really freaked out, before Sectumsempra, though. Enjoy! (Oh, and P.S. I'm not and never have been British, so…)_

Chapter 1

_Don't look at him, Ginny. Don't look at him. _I repeat it to myself over and over. With the Gryffindor/Hufflepuff Quidditch match coming up in three and a half months and Christmas rapidly approaching, I don't need the flaxen-haired Slytherin to distract me.

Confession time; I am completely in love with Draco Malfoy.

I haven't admitted it to anyone, even going to such lengths as feign my infatuation with Harry (don't get me wrong, he's a great guy…just not Malfoy) and have everyone fooled. Except, perhaps Hermione. But she wouldn't dare tell anyone anyway.

Another confession; I'm not on bad terms with the Slytherin. After his father had almost killed me (damn you Lucius) I had been most surprised to find the second year tracking me down after the End of Year Feast.

"_Weasley?" He'd snarled in his holier-than-thou tone. Still a first year, I was quite intimidated and continued hurrying up the Grand Staircase, ignoring him._

"_I said, 'Weasley'," he demanded, stepping in front of me. I had bit my lip, down casting my eyes from his smoldering gray._

"_What do you want, Malfoy?" I tried to put as much poison as I could into my eleven-year-old voice. I saw how much my brother, Ron, hated Malfoy and felt it my obligation to keep up the family feud. Not to mention his scum of a father had TRIED TO KILL ME. (Or at least Harry…but same difference.)_

"_I…" He seemed lost for words. Not something his cool demeanor could lead to. Smirking Malfoy always had some smart-ass comeback, especially reserved for 'blood traitors' like me._

"_Spit it out," I spat._

"_Sorry." He muttered, looking suddenly vulnerable beneath his tough exterior. He blushed faintly underneath his shallow parlor. He didn't look at all as ugly as his personality made him…in fact, he looked quite handsome. At that time, my love for Harry had been real, but this…my hero worship wavered._

"_Sorry?" I asked, taken aback. Malfoy's cool demeanor returned._

"_Yeah, you know like your idiot father?" I sucked in my cheeks, flaming as red as the Weasley's famous hair._

"_Stick it," I told him, turning and stomping up the stairs. A few steps later, I'd felt a hand on my shoulder. Malfoy was standing a bit below me, smoothing back his already slick hair._

"_I…I really am sorry. I'm not good at this." I wavered, not really believing what I was hearing. After an entire summer of hearing all the bloody horror stories from Ron about this Draco Malfoy person and dad's stories about his vile father was enough for me to have an immediate prejudice. "But…I'm ashamed of what my father did. I hope you don't hold me responsible." I blinked a few times in surprise. Where was the dickish Malfoy we'd all come to hate?_

"_S'okay," I said, smiled at him briefly, and made my way to the common room, glowing with a strange happiness._

And that's where it all began. Since that day, we've had few times to get to know each other, but many precious moments were spent in hiding around the Black lake, throwing food to the Giant Squid. We'd even managed to get into the kitchens a few times. Our awkward friendship blossomed into what I thought would surely be a life-long bond.

Behind closed doors, I wasn't Weasley, and he wasn't Malfoy. I was Ginny, and he was Draco. Loving, caring, funny, sweet Draco. I learned so much about him, and came to love the man behind the family. He had to keep up his façade for his father's sake, lest he be disinherited. He loves his father dearly, and his mother too, and he does all he can to get and keep the attention he receives, at all costs. He didn't want to follow in his father's footsteps and be a conniving, evil person. He wanted to become an Auror, to help against the Dark Arts instead of promote them. When Draco talks about his passions, I can't see the selfish, smirking boy around school, instead I find a man red-hot with life, glowing from the possibilities.

This, though, was alone. In the hallways, we had to display the icy demeanor used between all Slytherins and Gryffindors. He would smirk at me hatefully in hallways, loudly announce that the Blood Traitor was walking down the halls and to vacate immediately. I'd hex him every once in a while and his friends too. I'd bash him behind his back, I kill him at Quidditch. We did everything common enemies would. In our private time, we'd laugh about it.

In the passing years, though, it became woeful, vulnerable, wavering Draco, weeping, soulful, dying Draco. Especially after You-Know-Who returned, Draco began reverting to his cover of Malfoy more often. Our meetings grew less frequent, and they were less personable than ever before. My heart was breaking. I know he didn't return my feelings, but I was so deeply in love with him, with _Draco_, that I couldn't stand it.

Fourth year (fifth for him), our friendship became even more rocky when he started the hurtful 'Weasley Is Our King', which I still have animosity against, and grew worse when he joined the Inquisitorial Squad and helped bust the D.A. I'll never forgive him for it.

"_Draco, you bloody bastard!" I'd shouted, storming into the Room of Requirement, our new sometimes-meeting place._

"_I'm sorry," he'd whispered._

"_How dare you? You ruined everything! Dumbledore's gone because of you, you great _prat_!" I was so angry, I'd pulled my wand and was waving it around manically._

"_Ginny, please, listen." Draco had pleaded, raising his hands in silent surrender._

"_No, you listen, you git! I can't believe I was ever your friend!"_

_That seemed to break Draco, for he sneered greatly, taking an ominous step near me._

"_Oh, is it because you don't get your alone time with your Precious Potter?" He spat. I smacked him soundly across his face._

"_Harry has nothing to do with this!" I screamed in his face. Malfoy had a hand-sized red mark on his face, his carefully slicked hair mussed on the side I'd slapped him._

"_Fine. He has nothing to do with it." He was back to Draco, my friend, the one I'd trusted with almost everything._

"_Damn right, he doesn't," I growled. I still had my wand shakily pointed at his chest. He _had_ taken down Dumbledore's Army, after all._

"_I see the way you look at him." Draco said in a small voice. It wasn't quite 'Malfoy' material, but it still had an edge._

"_What do you mean by that?"_

"_You look at him like he's some kind of God." Draco blushed slightly._

"_I love Harry, Draco. He's one of my best friends. I literally trust him with my life." I said. Draco licked his lips angrily, his hand unconsciously going to play with his green and silver tie, the symbol, coupled with my own gold and scarlet tie, signifying what could never be._

"_Where does that leave me?" He looked up at me with startlingly stormy eyes, more silver than gray._

That had been the first time I fully realized how much I really loved him. It still hasn't resulted in anything, the feud between our houses keeping any feelings at bay. Or feelings in _my _case. I'm sure Draco feels only platonic love for me. He's told me more than once that I'm the sister he's always wished for.

Of course, I was able to get back at Malfoy for his D.A. stunt with the wicked Bat-Bogey Hex I hit him with in Umbridge's office. He hadn't been happy about that, but forgave me. And, though he'll never fully admit it, he held a gloomy air of someone with a loss after Sirius died.

And now here I am, sitting in the Great Hall and trying desperately to tear my eyes off of the haughty Malfoy, surrounded by his goons. This year, we'd met once. It was a painful meeting, burned into my brain for all eternity.

"_Ginny, I can't do this any more." We'd met in the Room of Requirement at the very beginning of the year, the first weekend, sitting on the plush couches the room provided._

"_What?" I asked, completely oblivious._

"_I can't keep seeing you. I can't be your friend anymore." It felt like a knife split my body. My heart seized up, and hot needles pricked the back of my eyes._

"_Wha…why?" I faced him, dying a little more when he refused to look in my eyes._

"_I can't be associated with a filthy, Mudblood loving, Blood Traitor," Malfoy sneered, the fire accentuating his gaunt features._

"_Draco…I…"_

"_How dare you call me by my first name?" He roared, knocking back his armchair and pointing his wand at me. My mouth fell open, trying to form words I didn't have._

"_Please," I pleaded. He couldn't be doing this to me. He was my best friend, my secret love. He was the force that kept me going. He couldn't just…leave me._

"_Quit your disgusting begging, Weasley." He sneered again before walking to the door. "Tell your vile family that they'll be the first ones the Dark Lord kills." And he left, slamming the door behind him. I hadn't gone back to Gryffindor tower that night._

"Ginny," Hermione whispers in my ear. I snap out of my reverie, smiling once at her before trying to catch up on what Dean was saying. I've gone through a few boyfriends now, trying to make up for the ragged hole Malfoy left behind.

I've heard Harry talking to my brother and Hermione about Malfoy being a Death Eater. I don't want to believe it, but seeing the troubled state he's in, always tired, eyes darting around like he's waiting for something to happen, and so worn down, pitiful, that it's hard for me to rule it out. His father's in Azkaban, and I know that if there was a way offered to him to get his father out, he'd take it, no matter what it was.

I've tuned out Dean again and turned my attention to Malfoy. The bit of my Draco is gone, nothing, not even a glimmer left. His easy smile, ruffled hair, loose tie. Gone.

For one second, Malfoy looks up from his pudding and catches my eye. I gasp silently. A moment passes, and I can almost see the hurt child lurking beneath his eyes, but it disappears with his trademark sneer.

"Shouldn't you be staring at your boyfriend instead of ogling me?" He yells to me. I blush deeply. His cronies, specifically Pansy Parkinson, his little whore of a girlfriend, and Blaise Zabini, laugh heartily. It disgusts me.

"What's he going on about?" Ron mutters.

"Nothing," I tell him back.

"Oi, Malfoy, why don't you shut your trap? If you're lucky you might be able to skip out on Azkaban that way!"

"Shut it, Ron," Hermione and I say together. Usually, there'd be not threat in Hermione's words; it's actually amazing that she's said _that_ to him. After Dear Ronald hooked up with Lavender last night and Hermione attacked Ron, it's been like a war zone between him and Hermione. I hate it. _(A/N, for my selfish purposes only, I've moved Slughorn's party down one day, specifically for this dinner to occur, so don't get confused all you Die-Hards)_

Dinner's almost over, and I risk one more look at Malfoy. Every time, a spear drives deep in my heart, and my longing can only grow.

_I still love you, Draco Malfoy._

_A/N I know, it's kinda dramatic. I'm gonna make it funnier as it goes, hopefully, or I might actually be serious for once and have a little soap opera. Anyway, whad'ya think? Review and I'll write more! And I will definitely be making a series of Draco/X oneshots…After the new movie, I've definitely decided that Draco is sooo sexy…Mmmm…And maybe a few other crack pairings…and, sure a few cannon, but those aren't as fun!!! So…Yeah, review! I love the reviews!!!!_

_~Alyss_


	2. Idiot Weasley Girl

_Disclaimer: JKR rules this world…_

_A/N Yay! I'm finally back! (Sorta) This chapter is from Draco's POV, and next time…we might have some special character interaction. Okay, so…yeah, enjoy and review!! Oh, and I state again, I've never been British, so hear me out._

Chapter 2

_Stupid girl,_ I steam, staring at her from over my pumpkin juice. Her face is flushed a deep scarlet, embarrassed at our little explosion seconds before. The color looks beautiful on her skin. _Stop that, Draco!_ I shake my head and down my spiked pumpkin juice. The more I drink, the more Weasley fades into my subconscious.

"She's such a little whore," Pansy sniffs, whipping back her bobbed hair. Blaise nods. Crabbe and Goyle are too busy stuffing their faces, as usual, to say much of anything.

"Who?" I mutter, my eyes still locked on Ginny (_Weasley_, I chide myself). She's laughing at something Thomas's said, but I notice the tightness around her eyes that's a dead giveaway for her boredom.

"Weasly. Always strutting around like she can have any guy at Hogwarts. As if." Pansy leans sickeningly close, stringing her arm through mine. "That slut can never have my Draco-Waco." I pull away from her on instinct. "What the hell Draco?" She explodes, her lip curling upward in her famous Bitch-sneer.

"Shut up." She does. The one thing I hate most about Pansy is her willingness to completely submit to everything I say. _She_ never did. _She_ stood her ground, fought back.

"Oi, Zabini," I say to shift the focus away from the Weasley girl. He looks up at me expectantly, pudding globed on the side of his mouth. "You're going to Slughorn's Christmas party, right?" Blaise nods.

"Why?" He asks when he finally swallows.

"No reason," I mutter. Of course there _is_ one. It's my only chance to slip Slughorn the poisoned mead.

"Does it have to do with," he pauses and leans in closer, "_You-Know-Who_?" He says the name with such reverence, I almost scream. If my parents weren't being held at wand point, I'd gladly kill the Dark Lord with my own hands. As it is, I have to continue with my visibly lackluster attempts at killing Dumbledore. The Dark Lord was less than pleased with my failed attempts with Katie Bell, and my father suffered for that.

"Yeah. It does." I whisper, trying to keep the fear out of my voice. On instinct, my eyes flicker back to Weasley. She's still an amazing scarlet, but this time, I have a feeling that it has to do with some time Thomas has done. Stupid git.

"Can I help?" Blaise and Pansy ask simultaneously. They may be thick, but sometimes 'thick' is just the trait one needs.

"What did you get on your Potions O.W.L.s?" I ask Blaise.

"I passed," he said indignantly.

"Then I need you to finish the batch of Polyjuice Potion I have in our room. Do you think you can handle that?" I sneer. Blaise huffs, but nods.

"What about me, Drakey?" Pansy whines, kissing my cheek.

"I need you to find me a way into Slughorn's party." I pull away from her.

"Why don't you take the Weasley girl," she laughs. Blaise laughs with her, and even Crabbe mutters a guttural semi-laugh.

I don't say anything, lest I betray that it wouldn't be such a bad idea if she weren't already with Thomas. Even as I try to deny it, I can't help but wish that _I _were the one leaning against her, _I_ were the one brushing her hair back from her face. I can't help but wish that _I_ were the one with her, right now. Not with stupid Pansy (my sorry excuse of a cover-girlfriend), but with orange haired, fiery tempered, _perfect_ Ginny Weasley.

My envy flairs even more when Potter leans over Granger to talk to her. And the way she blushes when he does. I've always known about her little crush, though she denies it over and over. I'm not as dense as she seems to think.

"If he wasn't a Gryffindor…" I hear Pansy mutter.

"What was that?" I ask, enraged. Her pale pallor automatically flushes to a deep chartreuse _(A/N, I know, I know, it's green…but for some reason I always feel like using it as red…so for this sentence's sake, we're going to defy the English language and pretend chartreuse=scarlet…or you can just imagine she gets sick for some reason at Draco speaking to her…) (Okay fine, you wore me down.) _Her pale pallor automatically flushes to a deep scarlet, staining her cheeks and the well displayed path down into her low-slung vest.

"Nothing." She snaps, turning away to stuff more random pudding into her mouth. I pick at mine unenthusiastically. Not only do I have, well, murder on my mind, but even worse, I have the epitome of all teenage drama; unrequited (and unwelcome) love.

Fine, fine.

I'm in love with Ginny Weasley.

In case you hadn't already figured it out.

It's not just that I think about her all the time (which I do), but I _dream _about her. Every night, I dream about how it could be different. How it could be _me_ over there sneaking kisses behind Brother Weasley's back. How it could be _me_ stealing her around corners and pulling her into me. How it could be Draco and Ginny again and not Malfoy and Weasley.

Before I know it, dinner is gone, and my opportunities at sneaking looks at Weasley are past. The others get up to leave.

"I'll be in the common room soon," I say. They nod without question and leave. I watch Weasley and Thomas holding hands as they leave. Making sure no one's watching, I follow them. They break off from the rest of their little dinner group, straying down an empty corridor. I lag behind to make sure they don't see me.

"All I'm saying is that I wish you'd pay a little more attention to me!" Thomas whines when I catch up and hide behind a curtain.

"Then be a little more bloody interesting!" Weasley shouts, throwing her hands up in the air. I smile. I love angry Ginny. Weasley. Hate…dammit.

"Interesting? Oh, all of a sudden, I'm not _interesting_ enough for you? Well, shit, Ginny! If you want someone more interesting, go crawling to Potter! He'll take you, you little slut!" Weasley slaps Thomas harder than I've ever seen anyone hit someone before.

"HOW DARE YOU TALK TO ME LIKE THAT?" She screeches. Thomas rubs his cheek. I wish I were out there kicking his arse for saying something like that. My fist tightens around my wand. It would be so easy to knock him to the floor…

"I'm sorry, Ginny." Thomas bows his head. "I really, _really _am." Weasley's face softens. _Don't do it, Ginny. Don't do it._ I plead to myself.

"Yeah. You are." Thomas bites his lip at Weasley's harsh words. "But you're lucky I like you." He gathers her gently in his arms. I turn my face away, regretting following them.

"I'll see you in a bit." Weasley says. "I think I left something in the Great Hall." I hear Thomas leaving.

"Come out." Weasley demands. My heart starts pounding. "Come on. I know you're there." Her brisk steps bring her to my hiding spot. Before she can get to me, I step out. Her eyes widen.

"You and your wee little boyfriend not getting along any more, Weasley?" I sneer, pushing against her to get down the corridor. "Too bad, too bad."

"Just because you're jealous…" She trails off. I turn quickly to face her.

"Jealous? Me? Why would I be jealous of someone dating a Blood-Traitor? And someone who's a massive whore on top of that?" Ginny's mouth tightens and her fists flex. "Oh. Is wittle Weasley gonna hit me?" I swoop in close, my heart picking up despite myself. "Do it, baby. Give it to me good."

"I'll save that for Dean." She smirks and swirls around, the tips of her long hair flicking across my face. I breathe in deeply to try to keep her scent with me.

"See you around, Draco." She says as she walks off. I nod sadly, and wave at her back. At least she can't see me.

_A/N That…was awful. I'm so sorry. I was really grasping for something to write about. Please forgive me._


End file.
